Children are respected and valued parishioners of St. John's. We welcome all children, including infants, to our services and have a row of rocking chairs in the rear of the church to better serve our little ones and their parents.

Our Sunday School program, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, is offered to children 6 to 9 years old during the October to May program year. New children are welcome at any time.

October 1 is the first day of Sunday School 2017-2018!

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is inspired by the Montessori principles of education. It's founders, Sophia Cavalletti and Gianna Gobbi, believe:

That God and the child have a unique relationship with one another, particularly before age six.

That the growth of this relationship should be assisted by the adult, but is directed by the Spirit of God within the child.

That children need their own place to foster the growth of that relationship.

That the child's spiritual growth is best served through tangible but indirect means.

It is the joy of the children's encounter with God that has given birth to the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is not primarily academic in character. Rather, it seeks to be an experience of life and an education in faith, through the celebration of an encounter with the Father, in listening to Jesus the one Teacher, and in obedience to the Spirit.

Our 6 to 9 year-old's have a dedicated sacred space called an atrium. They hear God's word read from the Bible and work with specially hand-made items to reinforce the lessons. They are acquainted with the Liturgy by manipulating items from their model altar and experience prayer at private or communal Prayer Tables.